Earth moving scraper



Aug. 23, 1960 c. STRAUB EARTH MOVING SCRAPER Original Filed July 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 V Carl Slraub BY Aug. 23, 1960 c. STRAUB smammovmc SCRAPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 9, 1951 w Mi INVENTOR. aZ Sfraub EARTH MQVENG SCRAPER Carl Straub, Boulder, Colo., assignor to Cornhuslter Manufacturing (10., Inc., Guiana, Nehru, a corporation of Delaware Qantinuation of application Ser. No. 535,312, Sept. 20, 1955, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 235,777, July 9, 1951. This application Apr. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 806,393

(Zlaims. (Cl. 37-129} This invention relates to earth moving scrapers and more particularly it is an object of the invention to provide an improved earth moving scraper of the revolving bucket type.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a revolving bucket earth scraper, the end gate of which can be placed in a position for distributing earth at a desired level across the ground, and further in which the end gate can be raised and lowered for adjusting the depth of spreading of earth.

Devices of this type heretofore invented have had a disadvantage in that in these devices the end gate is in an upper position when the bucket is in an upper position. With such constructions, when it is desired to spread only a thin layer of earth, the bucket is in an insufliciently upset position to cause the earth to flow outwardly of the bucket and through the small space between the bucket and the lower edge of the end gate when the latter is in a downward position.

Therefore, it is my conception to provide a scraper of this type in which the end gate is in a downward and earth-leveling position at a time when the forward end of the bucket is in the upper position. With this construction, the bucket dumps its load on the ground in front of the leveling end gate which spreads it thinly. There is no trouble in causing the dirt to move out of the bucket because the bucket is in full dumping position.

A particular object of my invention is to eliminate this inherent disadvantage of scrapers of the prior art without sacrificing the single adjustment feature in which the same hydraulic cylinder means which dumps the bucket also controls the height of the levelingend gate.

A particular object is to provide a criss-cross linkage system making the end gate earth spreading possible.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulically operated bell crank mechanism for controlling the position of the bucket, the mechanism being so designed that the bucket will be rigidly held in position during scraping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scraper, the supporting wheels of which are so attached to the frame as to be arrangeable at the operators option to the rear and inward of the sides of the frame or arranged alongside the frame.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

This application is a continuation of the co-pending application titled Earth Moving Scraper, filed September 20, 1955, and bearing Serial No. 535,312 and now abandoned, which itself is a continuation of application Serial No. 235,777, filed July 9, 1951, and is also now abandoned.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not Zflifi Patented Aug. ?Zi,, 960

being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the earth scraper of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the scraper showing side positions of the wheels in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a detailed side elevation of the bucket rotating and end gate mechanism of the invention, dotted line positions showing the scraping position and full lines showing the dumping position; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the side portion of the scraper showing the parts shown in Figure 3 as seen from the top.

The earth scraper of this invention is provided with a frame generally indicated at 10. As best shown in Figure 2 the frame 10 has two longitudinal side members 12 which are spaced apart on opposite sides of a bucket generally indicated at 14.

The frame members 12. join two inclinedly disposed frame members 16 and 18 at their forward ends. The members 16 and 18 converge to an apex. At the apex upper and lower forwardly extending frame members 24 are attached. These members extend forward to upwardly extending cars 30. Forwardly from the cars 30 a socket assembly 34 is provided for attachment to a towing vehicle.

The purpose of the ears 30 is to pivotally mount the forward end of a hydraulic cylinder 38 on a pin 4d. The cylinder 38 has two hydraulic hoselines 48 extending to different ends thereof. The hoselines 48 are not completely shown but it will be understood that their forward ends extend to hydraulic control mechanism on the towing vehicle, also not shown.

The rearward end of the cylinder 38 is pivotally secured by a pin 50 to the lower ends of two parallel spaced apart upwardly and rearwardly extending arms 52. The arms 52 are secured to a transverse pipe 54. The pipe 54 is rotatably mounted on upwardly extending standards 56 by means of bearing members 58 which extend inwardly of the outer'ends of the pipe 54.

The standards 56 are mounted upon and secured to the forward ends of the side frame members 12.

At the outer ends of the pipe 54 normally rearwardly and horizontallyextending arms 62 are provided. The arms 62 are pivotally secured by pins to normally downwardly and rearwardly extending elongated bars 68. At the rearward lower end of the bars 68, the bars are pivotally attached by pins 79 to tabs 72. The tabs 72 are rigidly secured to the side of the bucket by an upwardly extending reinforcing member '76.

The bucket 14 is pivotally secured through its member 76 to upwardly extending mounting members it by means of pins 82.

The mounting members 80 extend upwardly from and are secured to the longitudinal frame members 12. The members 80 are preferably braced by forwardly and rearwardly inclined disposed braces 90. The braces 9d are attached at their upper forward ends to the upper ends of the standards 56 and at their rearward ends are attached to the upper side of the frame members 12 by welding at 96 or other suitable means. The standards 56 are also held by forward braces 106 which extend downwardly and forwardly from the standards 56 and are secured to the inclining frame members 16 and 18 respectively.

At the rearward end of the frame vertically disposed pivot pins 106 are arranged on each rearward outer corner of the frame. The pins 106 are held in place by brackets 108 and 110 which are respectively secured to the braces 90 and the frame members 12. Thebraces 108 and 11!) extend outwardly and rearwardly at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal frame members 12.

Sleeves 120 are disposed about the pins 106 and rearwardly extending wheel supporting arms 13%)- are attached to the sleeves 129. The arms 136 are horizontally disposed and are provided with downwardly extending members 136 which latter support bearings 140 for holding stub axles 142. The axles 142 support wheels 150 which latter are inwardly disposed from the arms 130 when the arms are in the end positions shown in Figure 2.

At desired times the wheels can be placed at the sides of the bucket 14 as best seen in dotted lines in Figure 2. For this purpose the rearward ends of the arms 130 are provided with apertured tabs 160. The tabs 160 are adapted to be disposed in alignment with other apertured tabs 170. The tabs 1170 are secured to and extend outwardly from the frame members 12 whereby drop pins 172 can be placed through the tabs 160 and 170 for securing the arms 130 in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2.

The arms 13@ are held in the end position shown in Figure 2 by means of braces 180. The braces 18%) are attached transversely from the arms 130 extending inwardly to a transverse frame member or gate bracing member 200 which latter attaches the rearward ends of the longitudinal frame members 12 together. The braces 18!) are attached to the arms 130 by bolts 210 and to transverse members 200 by removable bolts 212.

Referring to Figure 3, an end gate 360 is there shown. The end gate 300 is adapted to fit between the side walls 366 of the bucket 14. The bucket 14 has a bottom 308 and has a forwardly disposed blade 310 attached thereto and extending downwardly therefrom. The blade 310 is transversely arranged beneath the forward edge of the bottom 308 and is braced by longitudinally extending runner 314.

The rearward ends of the side walls 306 of the bucket 14 are convexly curved and the end gate 309 is similarly convexly curved on its rearward side 320. The end gate 300 is provided with side walls 330 extending forwardly therefrom. The end gate is further provided with a vertical bracing wall 331 at its center asbest seen in Figure 2.

The rear gate 300 is provided with an ear 340 on the upper portion of the left hand side thereof as seen in Figure 3. The ear 340 is attached by means of a pin 342 to a first linkage 350 which normally extends forwardly and downwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 to a point disposed slightly over and substantially beneath the axis of rotation of the bucket 14, the said axis being represented by the pivot axles 82. At its forward end the first linkage 350 is attached to the side wall 306 of the bucket 14 by a pin 364.

The left hand side of the bucket gate 300 is further secured at its lower end by means of an ear 370 and a pin 380 to a second linkage 382 which latter normally extends upwardly and forwardly to a pivot point on the bucket represented by the pivot pin 384. The pin 384 is normally disposed slightly forwardly of and substantially above the axis of rotation of the bucket 14, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The end gate 300 is further provided with third and fourth linkages 359 and 382 respectively which are disposed on the right hand side of the gate for attaching the gate 300 to the bucket 14 in an identical manner respectively to the first and second linkages 356) and 382. The third and fourth criss cross linkages, being similar to said first and second linkages respectively, are given similar numbers along with their corresponding ears and pins.

On the rearward end of the gate 300 and extending outwardly therefrom is a stop member 40%) which is adapted to engage the upper side of the transverse frame member 200 for a purpose later described.

In operation it will be seen that when scraping is desired the bucket is disposed substantially as shown in Figure 1. When the bucket is full and dumping is desired, the hydraulic cylinder 38 is actuated in a manner for causing the bucket to assume the full line dumping position shown in Figure 3. When the bucket 14 starts to rotate from the dotted line position of Figure 3 to the full line position thereof, the stop member 400 will strike the transverse frame member 200 for arresting the motion of the gate 300. The gate 390 will then rebound upwardly and its pivot pin 342 will move in a direction upwardly and forwardly and its lower pivot pin 330 will move downwardly and rearwardly, being forced rearwardly by dirt hitting the forward side of the gate 300 as the dirt dumps out of the bucket.

When the bucket 14 has come to the dumping position shown in full lines in Figure 3, the gate 300 will have assumed the leveling position shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The end gate 300 is prevented from opening when earth pressure bears against it during loading operations by (a) the weight of the gate and the influence of gravity urging it downwardly; (b) the weight of earth bearing downwardly against the gate because of its concave shape tending to hold it in closed position when the bucket is in digging and loading position; (0) also when the bucket is full of earth any opening movement upwardly of the gate is accompanied necessarily by a movement forward by the upper end of the gate (as is because of the linkages 350 and 352 are in crossed relationship), which latter cannot be done without displacement of earth forwardly as requires a greater force than is present whereby the gate remains closed.

The end gate 300 only opens as the bucket revolves clockwise (as is because of the linkages 350 and 352 are in crossed relationship), as seen in Figure 3, and as the stop member 400 strikes the frame member 200 with sufficient and considerable force to jar the end gate enough to open away from the bucket and to rebound upwardly from the frame member 200.

The leveling position of the gate 300 is determined by two factors. First, the force of the dirt leaving the bucket and the dirt being leveled will cause the gate 300 to remain in a position spaced upwardly from the surface of the ground 500 whereby leveling out and distribution of the load being dumped is possible.

Second, upward movement of the gate 300 is stopped and limited by engagement with the transverse frame member 200. When the bucket is caused to rotate slightly in the direction of the arrow 510 in Figure 3 the height of the dirt being spread will be increased and is thus regulatable.

As best seen in Figure 3, after the bucket has reached the dumping position, shown in Figure 3 in full lines, the gate 300 is in an earth spreading and leveling position.

A new feature is in the regulation of the vertical height of the end gate 300 for regulating the height of earth being spread. This is accomplished by so operating the hydraulic cylinder 38 as to rotate the bucket 14 slightly in either direction as desired to. cause corresponding slight raising or lowering of the end gate (as is because of the linkages 350 and 352 are in crossed relationship).

A rotation of the bucket clockwise, as seen in Figure 3, will cause the gate to move downwardly (as is because of the linkages 350 and 352 are in crossed relationship). A rotation. counter-clockwise will cause the gate to move upwardly away from the ground level 500 for greater depth of spreading.

It will be seen that when the arms 62 are parallel with the bars 68, as when the bucket is in digging position that the arms 62 and bars 68 rigidly brace the bucket, both holding it down and up, preventing twisting and distortion of the bucket.

When the bucket is in the scraping position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 1 the arm 62 and the bar 68 are in positions closer to the straight line than in other bucket positions. This has the effect of tending to brace the bucket and to hold it more firmly in place during scraping.

This invention has provided an earth moving revolving bucket scraper which is adapted to spread the dirt at a selective height. This is made possible by the two sets of criss cross linkages attaching the two sides of the gate to the bucket together with the auxiliary features.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a scraper constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. An earth scraper comprising a frame; wheels sup porting said frame; a bucket revolvably supported on said frame for pivoting about a transverse axis, said bucket having an open forward end for receiving dirt and an open rearward end for dumping dirt; an end gate disposed in the rearward end of said bucket; a gate-bracing member secured to said frame and disposed in a position for engaging the rearward side of said gate when said gate is in an open position to hold said gate in a dirt spreading position; a first linkage pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of said gate on one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally below said transverse axis; a second linkage pivotally secured at one end to the lower end of said gate on said one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally above said transverse axis, said points of connection of said other ends of said first and second linkages being disposed normally forwardly of said transverse axis; third and fourth linkages similarly arranged and connected on the opposite side of said gate and bucket; a stop member on said gate; stop member engaging means secured to said frame to arrest downward movement of said gate; and means for causing said bucket to rotate in either direction about its axis.

2. An earth scraper comprising: a frame; wheels supporting said frame; a bucket revolvably supported on said frame for pivoting about a transverse axis, said bucket having an open forward end for receiving dirt and an open rearward end for dumping dirt; an end gate disposed in the rearward end of said bucket; a gate-bracing member secured to said frame and disposed in a position for engaging the rearward side of said gate when said gate is in an open position to hold said gate in a dirt spreading position; a first linkage pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of said gate on one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally below said transverse axis; a second linkage pivotally secured at one end to the lower end of said gate on said one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally above said transverse axis, said points of connection of said other ends of said first and second linkages being disposed normally forwardly of said transverse axis; third and fourth linkages similarly arranged and connected on the opposite side of said gate and bucket; means for arresting downward movement of said gate; and means for causing said bucket to rotate in either direction about its axis.

3. An earth scraper comprising: a frame; wheels supporting said frame; a bucket revolvably supported on said frame for pivoting about a transverse axis, said bucket having an open forward end for receiving dirt and an open rearward end for dumping dirt; an end gate disposed in the rearward end of said bucket; a gate-bracing member secured to said frame and disposed in a position for engaging the rearward side of said gate when said gate is in an open position to hold said gate in a dirt spreading position; a first linkage pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of said gate on one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally below said transverse axis; a second linkage pivotally secured at one end to the lower end of said gate on said one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket at a point normally above said transverse axis; third and fourth linkages similarly arranged and connected on the opposite side of said gate and bucket; and means for causing said bucket to rotate in either direction about its axis.

4. The scraper of claim 3 which further comprises: a stop member on said gate; stop member engaging means secured to said frame to arrest downward movement of said gate.

5. An earth scraper comprising a frame; wheels supporting said frame; a bucket revolvably supported on said frame for pivoting about a transverse axis, said bucket having an open forward end for receiving dirt and an open rearward end for dumping dirt; an end gate disposed in the rearward end of said bucket; a gate-bracing member secured to said frame and disposed in a position for engaging the rearward side of said gate when said gate is in an open position to hold said gate in a dirt spreading position; a first linkage pivotally secured at one end to said gate on one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket; a second linkage pivotally secured at one end to said gate on one side thereof and pivotally secured at its other end to said bucket, said first and second linkages being criss-crossed whereby when said bucket is raised upwardly at its forward end said endgate will be disposed in a position for distributing earth at a desired level across the ground and whereby said endgate can be raised and lowered as a result of corresponding pivotal movements of said bucket; third and fourth linkages similarly arranged and connected on the opposite side of said gate and bucket; a stop member on said gate; stop member engaging means secured to said frame to arrest downward movement of said gate; and means for causing said bucket to rotate in either direction about its axis and whereby when said bucket is tipped upwardly sufficiently to cause the earth to fall outwardly of the bucket rearwardly, a space exists between the rearward edge of the bucket and the lower edge of the endgate so that the earth can flow rearwardly out of the scraper, whereby the same means for causing said bucket to rotate also controls the height of the lower edge of the endgate for control of leveling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,658 Austin Nov. 21, 1939 2,554,698 Evans May 29, 1951 2,607,137 Kunneman Aug. 19, 1952 

